I am sure that many cavers have noticed the bedding plane that extends above the Bear Pit in Rod's Pot.  Last week I persuaded the very keen and skinny James Hall to drag the end of a tape measure up there to see exactly how far it does go.    About 20 metres above the pit he was stopped by a tight vertical squeeze but the passage could be seen to continue beyond this.   

Is there anyone out there who has been to, or beyond, this point?

Do you mean the traverse across well above the Bear Pit & continuation up at an angle? (or was he heading straight up?)

If the former then I have been to about the same point, it is fairly worn.

Mike

did he have suckers on his feet    well done James I always wondered how high it goes and if it would meet somewhere at the top of purple pot

You don't have to climb vertically up from the Bear Pit!

Mike

I revisited this with a friend today who couldn't pass through all the tight parts. The passage can be accessed by, instead of dropping down to the left towards the descent to Bear pit, you keep right and follow the rift that is essentially over the top of Bear pit.

Staying up, continue along the rift, this is immediately quite "cosy" then you pass a slightly more exposed drop in the floor (which would take you down to Bear Pit)

Staying at the same level (you could continue heading straight up which may be what Mikem is referring to) continue along the rift. At roughly the same level continue, gradually move up to where there is passable space along the rift -( this is all very narrow and will stop the average sized caver from continuing) - 

whilst working your way along the rift gradually gaining a little height you come to a basin-like break in the tight rift, this gives you some respite before continuing.

Interestingly there is an old-style circular bolt in the right hand side of this basin - (the origin and purpose is beyond me??)

Yet this bolt along with some damaged curtain  suggests a caver has passed this far before.

This is the key part - From where the bolt in the basin can be found, head directly along the rift without gaining or losing much (if any) height for 3.5 metres (measured today) this is tight and difficult to negotiate.

After 3.5 metres the tightness eases and continues for a further couple of metres before closing down completely at that height. From the "close down", at that level, 2 metres of height can be gained before it also closes down.

HOWEVER, 3.5 metres along from the basin and not as far as the previously described close-down, an awkward route can be taken directly up which can be pushed for 6 metres before a constriction stops the way on. Just after the constriction a stal curtain can be seen as well as wider and deeper passage straight up for a further 3 metres before it ceases. To the left and just out of sight, although unclear, it is possible that it goes on as it is still wide open at that height - only the awkward constriction halts further progress - another very thin, fit caver able to push from below would be useful - ANY TAKERS? 

It may amount to nothing but its so close.

Those worried about the stal curtain beyond the constriction need not worry as beyond the contriction it is passable without even being touched. 

Hi james

I wouldn't mind doing a bit of exploring with you in Rod's. I actually went the wrong way in rods the other week trying to find the bear pit and ended up above the bear pit along this rift and into a smallish bit, realised it wasthe wrong way as a  little small for my companions and didnt go any further.

Andrea

Interestingly, Balch (in 1948 edition) says:
"It is possible to climb up into the top of the rift and traverse along it from its communication with the Main Chamber to a point above the terminal pot-hole."
&
"Although many of its upper passages have been explored in the hope that they would lead to a communication with the Bath Swallet cave system, there appears to be no connexion with the latter, and at no point is the bath stream encountered."

Mike

mikem said:

Interestingly, Balch (in 1948 edition) says:

Click to expand...

To be strictly accurate the chapter in Balch's book was written by Dr R. A. J. Pearce - that is Rodney Pearce - the original Rod of Rod's Pot.

me said:

well done James I always wondered how high it goes and if it would meet somewhere at the top of purple pot

Click to expand...

I would have guessed the same but our survey tells another story - it's about 15 meters from Purple Pot.

mikem said:

"It is possible to climb up into the top of the rift and traverse along it from its communication with the Main Chamber to a point above the terminal pot-hole."
&
"Although many of its upper passages have been explored in the hope that they would lead to a communication with the Bath Swallet cave system, there appears to be no connexion with the latter, and at no point is the bath stream encountered."

Click to expand...

There is, we now know, a hydrological connection.  In flood, water from Bath Swallet flows along the normally dry crawl to pond at the bottom of Purple Pot.  This water enters Rod's at the bottom of the Bear Pit.

The bedding plane above the Bear Pit appears to be phreatic.  It veers off from the known cave at a very improbable angle - into a blank area, and it's a draughty - a lot of air is coming from somewhere.  This is why it merits a very thorough investigation.

Andrea said:

I wouldn't mind doing a bit of exploring with you in Rod's. I actually went the wrong way in rods the other week trying to find the bear pit and ended up above the bear pit along this rift and into a smallish bit, realised it wasthe wrong way as a  little small for my companions and didnt go any further.

Andrea

Click to expand...

There we are, James.  We can have Wessex digging one end, Cheddar digging the other, and the MCG in the middle!

Thanks Andrea! PM sent.

If anyone else is keen pm me.

We'll have to wait and see if it amounts to anything...